The Imperial AI Policy Fellowship 2027 is now open to senior civil and public servants who want to deepen their understanding of artificial intelligence and its implications for policy, regulation, strategy and public-sector delivery. Delivered through Imperial Policy Forum at Imperial College London, the nine-month programme runs from February to October 2027 and combines online learning, in-person days in London and a Fellow-led research project.
Key facts
- Applications for the 2027 fellowship close on Monday, 2 November 2026.
- The programme runs for nine months, from February to October 2027.
- The fellowship is delivered by Imperial Policy Forum at Imperial College London and is based in London and online.
- Participants are expected to commit about 6–8 hours per month and attend four in-person days.
- The fee is £1,500, with no VAT added.
What does this mean for applicants and public-sector teams?
The fellowship is aimed at senior civil and public servants, so the main audience is policy and government professionals rather than students in the usual academic sense. It is designed for people working on policy development, digital transformation, regulation, governance, strategy or public-sector innovation who want to apply AI knowledge to real responsibilities.
Applicants are expected to arrive with a policy challenge or research question that can shape the Fellow-led project. That makes the programme especially useful for departments that want practical outputs, such as written recommendations, a strategic plan, a pilot concept, a white paper or a workshop for colleagues. The hybrid structure also means participants will need to plan for both regular monthly engagement and four in-person days in London.
- Who can apply: senior civil and public servants.
- When: February to October 2027.
- What it costs: £1,500, with no VAT.
- What to prepare: an application form and a relevant AI policy question or challenge.
What is the Imperial AI Policy Fellowship?
The fellowship is a professional learning and development programme focused on how artificial intelligence affects public-sector work. It combines expert-led sessions, peer exchange, in-person learning at Imperial College London and an individual research project supported by academic mentors. The programme is meant to help participants connect AI concepts to practical policy decisions inside their own departments.
Instead of offering classroom learning alone, the fellowship asks participants to use their own work context as the starting point. The research component is fellow-led, which means the project is shaped around the participant’s priorities and professional responsibilities.
How does the programme work?
The fellowship has two main parts: in-person learning and an individual research project. The in-person element includes expert-led lectures, workshops and discussion with peers and specialists. Participants are also expected to engage online over the course of the programme.
The research project is intended to bridge learning and practice. The programme information says it can take different forms, including recommendations for adopting AI in a government department, co-designed strategic plans or technical solutions, pilots, infrastructure improvements, facilitated workshops or a published white paper.
Why does the research project matter?
The project gives fellows a chance to work on a concrete AI policy issue rather than only studying the technology in theory. That matters because the programme is aimed at public servants who need to make decisions about AI use, governance and regulation in real institutions.
Examples cited in the programme information include work on food regulation, healthcare accountability, human-centred AI design and sovereign AI in defence. Those examples show that the fellowship is being used to address practical policy questions across different parts of government and public services.
What should applicants know before the deadline?
Applications must be submitted by Monday, 2 November 2026. The programme information says prospective applicants should complete the official application form and send it to the Imperial Policy Forum at the listed email address. The official page also provides the programme brochure and the 2027 application form.
Because the fellowship is selective in scope and built around individual work responsibilities, applicants are likely to need a clear idea of how AI relates to their current role and what policy question they want to explore during the nine-month programme.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the fellowship for?
The fellowship is intended for senior civil and public servants who want to deepen their understanding of AI and its implications for public-sector work. It is especially relevant to people working in policy, regulation, governance, strategy, digital transformation and public-sector innovation.
How much time and money does it require?
The programme runs for nine months and requires about 6–8 hours per month, plus four in-person days during the year. The fee is £1,500 and no VAT is added.
